56th annual Cowboy Roping Fiesta

Photos from the Cowboy Roping Fiesta

Zach Rother (right) and Lane Turner, both of Lexington, practice roping in the parking lot before the 56th annual Cowboy Roping Fiesta at the San Angelo Fairgrounds Arena Oct. 24, 2009. Zach said they were at the Roping Fiesta to study the cowboys' techniques because someday they would be there roping.

Edd Workman (from right), Horace Rankin, Justin Cox and Robert Ragan wait for the start of the 56th Annual Cowboy Roping Fiesta at the San Angelo Fairgrounds Arena on Oct. 24, 2009. Workman, Rankin and Ragan are all retired ropers who love to watch the event every year.

Zach Rother (right) and Lane Turner, both of Lexington, learn a new rope trick from Cliff Tidwell of Lampasas, who saw the boys practicing while passing by on his way to the San Angelo Fairground Arena for the 56th Annual Cowboy Roping Fiesta.

Rusty Sewalt of Comstock prepares to rope in the 56th Annual Cowboy Roping Fiesta at the Fairgrounds Arena in San Angelo.

Clay Cerny (right) leads his daughter, Cassie, and horse, Bandaid, into the Fairgrounds Arena to get his horse familiar with the sights around the venue before he competed in the Cowboy Roping Fiesta on Oct. 24, 2009.

All the cowboys competing in the 56th Annual Cowboy Roping Fiesta bow their heads as an invocation was said before roping started.

Shank Edwards of Levelland has trouble with the calf he was roping during his first run in the Cowboy Roping Fiesta in San Angelo on Oct. 24, 2009.

Cody Ohl of Hico puts his hands up as he finishes roping with a time of 9:38 in his first go of the Cowboy Roping Fiesta Oct. 24, 2009.

Fred Whitfield of Hockley gets a time of 12:26 during his first run Oct. 24, 2009, in the Cowboy Roping Fiesta at the San Angelo Fairgrounds Arena.